What should I know before I move to the country?

If you’re about to move to the country from a big city, there are a number of things you should be aware of and think through before making the final decision to relocate to the countryside.

Income

This is the very first issue to think about before moving to the country. In general, rural towns offer limited opportunities for well-paid jobs, so you need to know the answer to a couple fundamental question, “How am I going to support myself and my family when I move to the countryside?” and “Will I be working from home or will I have to commute to my workplace?” Yes, having a guaranteed source of income is a must before you move away from the big city.

House

Be a smart buyer. Although the price is usually the deal-maker (or deal-breaker!), there are many other factors you should weigh in before the deal is concluded. Before agreeing on purchasing a house and land in the countryside, make sure you have inspected carefully your future property – the house roof has to be in good condition, the plumbing, electrical and septic systems in working order. Is there sufficient external or internal house insulation? And what about the land? Check its location, terrain, soil quality and irrigation options.

Utilities

There are two essential utilities which you can’t do without – water and electricity. Do you know what kind of water supply is provided to your future country home? And regardless of whether the water supply is municipal or not, you’re advised to have the water tested before using it for drinking or watering. It’s very important to make sure the house has reliable electric power supply. Besides being a nuisance, frequent power outages could potentially damage the electrical equipment in your home.

Roads

The roads to and from your country house should be in decent condition and drivable in any type of climatic conditions. Ask about their clearance priority during the winter – you definitely don’t want to be snowed under and cut off from the rest of the world. During the raining season, the roads near your property should have sufficient drainage capabilities – manholes, ditches, canals, etc.

People

Probably the best thing about moving to the country is the welcoming and big-hearted people (most of the times). People in close-knit rural communities know each other by first names and you can usually count on your neighbors to give you a helping hand when you need it the most. Still, be mindful that the country lifestyle is not for everyone and the best way to see whether you will like it or not is to spend some time in your future town before making up your mind to move there for real.

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